In the Eyes of a Ghost:Octivians Story
by Squidley4
Summary: Octivian, being forced to move to NightBridge, a small eerie town about 20 miles away from his hometown, feels somethings wrong with his new house..ever since he got that free painting from Crazy Redd. Watch as things get creepier, In the eyes of a ghost.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter1:**  
It was downpouring when I first pulled up to the entrance of the town of NightBridge. For the middle of December there were huge sheets of black ice on the ground I could see the cab slipping from one side to the next. I had always had panic attacks when things like this happened but I felt oddly safe pulling in through the gates as the rocky path below us gave the car fake hydrolics. When we pulled up to Town Hall I looked up at the sign that creaked in the steady gust of wind. I payed the cab driver 5 dollars and before he could check to see Id payed him a dollar short, I was already out of the cab with my suitcase over my head running towards the entrance. I heard a huge groaning creak above me and when I looked up I had almost no time to react. I hopped backwards as the O from 'Town Hall' came crashing down to the sidewalk, making a huge crash, as birds from the nest inside flew out not knowing what had just happened. I sighed in releif and ran inside before the cab driver could catch me and make me pay the extra dollar I didnt have. When I ran inside I tried my best to blend in with the crowd, pushing to the counter where suprisingly no line waited for me. When I reached the counter, I looked akwardly at the person running the desk. Her name tag said Phyllis, and she glared at me evily looking me over before asking,  
"Can I help you sir?"  
I nodded slowly. "I just moved here, I need to know where my house is." She snarled and went to her computer to look up my name as I told it to her.  
"How do you spell Octivian?" She was getting annoyed easily, I could tell.  
"O- c- t- vian." I said slowly to her. She gave me a key.  
"Here it should be just down the road." She said dropping the key in my hands. I took it from her.  
As I walked away I could hear her silently mutter. "Enjoy this dump of a town." I just rolled my eyes and kept walking.

When I reached the house it didnt look like it was in that bad of a condition. The sky was darkeing above me as I walked inside. The first floor board I stepped on squeaked which echoed though the empty house. I took my luggage and started to unpack. The thunder was booming outside by the time I was settled in, when I heard a knock at the door. When I answered I saw a rabbit just a few inches shorter than me with black ears and squinty eyes. He reminded me of a guy Id known from my previous town... but I had forgotten his name.  
"Hi!" He waved as I allowed him to scuttle inside, he was drenched from head to toe and carrying somehing wrapped in tinfoil. I let him in, wondering why he was here and who he was. After drying himself off with the towel I had provided for him, he turned to me and held out his hand.  
"Sorry for just barging in on you like that. I'm Genji, I live just down the road from you." I shook his hand suspisciously.  
"Octivian." I introduced. He nodded smiling brightly.  
"I baked you a pie!" he pointed to the thing wrapped tinfoil he'd put on my counter. I shuddered. My neighbors a guy, and he bakes. Does he knit to or watch those daytime sitcoms? I shrugged it off as he went to sit in my chair.  
"The only thing I've ever hated about NightBridge..." he began. "..is that it's always raining. We haven't had a sunny bright day in about two weeks!" I nodded as he continued to ramble on about the town and himself. Hopefully my other neighbors will be easier to talk to. After a long half an hour of listening to him continue to consistantly talk, he decided he best get home to finish reading his book, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" which he told me hes and obsessed HP fan. Its better than knitting, I guess. When he left I took advantage of the stormy night to go to bed early, which didnt come easily, after listening to the crash of thunder and the flashing lightning through my window. Hearing the strong wind swooshing past my house. When I finally did fall asleep, I then had one of the most strangest dreams ever.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter2:**  
In my dream I was in my old town, DustinVille. I was running down one of the barren streets towards Marina, the girl who used to be the love of my life. She broke up with me before my parents decided to ship me off to NightBridge, and I havent seen her since. I stretched out my arms to embrace her, planning to never let her go, but when my arms slowly reached out to her, she dissapeared and I was only trying to hug the empty space of air in front of me. I then heard a loud shreik from behind me...  
When I woke up I was breathing heavily. I turned to notice my alarm clock which had been set to radio had went off, the scratchy sounding music meant it was on a station with no reception. That must've been the strange shreik in my dream. I shut it off and went to the window to look outside. It was muggy out, the ground coated with a thick fog and the gray sky dimmed by the huge clouds that masked the sunlight. I sighed slowly as I changed into one of my favorite outfits and I headed downstairs. When reached my kitchen, I made myself a quick bowl of banana flavored oatmeal. As I watched it spin around in the microwave I pressed my fingers to my temples. I know I missed Marina, deep in my heart I knew I still loved her, but it was time to move on, I mine as well make the best of my time here in NightBridge before my parents find somewhere else to make me move to.  
Once my oatmeal was ready, I sat alone at my table and scarfed it down while reading the newspaper that had arrived at my door earlier this morning. I read the headline:  
"**Happy Room Academy banned from NightBridge after a recent point scandal!**"  
I shrugged and read another article on the polution of DustinVille, which was also why my parents shipped me away. After that I decided to go explore the town.

When I walked outside all I could see were the two faint shapes of my neighbors houses and the small shapes of the houses in the distance. I took a breath of the muggy, yet fresh air and strolled down he street. When I reached the corner, I saw Genji in his front yard with hedge clippers clipping one of his many bushes in his front yard. He waved to me, but I pretended not to see him. As I kept walking, I reached Town Hall again, the O was still there from yesterday where it had dropped. I wondered how long it would be there for. It was darker near Town Hall, at first I thought it was because thats where the edge of the forest was, but then I noticed the big green tent shading the area. Curious, I peeked inside. Then somebody slapped my hand away from the curtain over hanging the entrance.  
"Ow!" I pulled my hand away and cradled it as somebody shreiked from inside.  
"DO YOU KNOW THE PAAAAASSSSWORD?!" the voice said. I suddenly remembered what Genji was telling me yesterday night about the strange store owner named Crazy Redd who came every Thursday. He had told me the password.  
"Yeah." I said flatly, stunned that he had hit me.  
"Good! So what do you say when I say "All is fair.."  
"In love and war." I rolled my eyes. That was an obvious one. No wonder everybody eventually gets access to this place.  
"Good!" He said and he opened the door. When I looked inside couldnt belive my eyes. There was alot of interesting stuff, on the shelves, the walls, even in some of the boxes.  
"Welcome to Crazy Redds Store where we sell you things for Crazzzzy Prices!" Redd chimed at me. I gazed the objects in front of me, and on the walls. Redd stepped back so I could look around. I was intreauged by all the stuff he had, some of it was useless junk and others were masterpieces. I stopped when I came to this painting of this penguin sitting on chair, that looked more like a throne with a bunch of other animals surrounding her. I could feel Redd breathing down my neck. I whipped around to see him standing behind me.  
"Ive had that one for a while.." He said shivering. I looked at him to wonder what he meant.  
"I sort of like it." I told him. "How much?" I pulled out my wallet and he just pushed it away.  
"You can have it." He told me. My eyes widened.  
"For free?" I sputtered. He nodded.  
"Just take it." He pushed it into my hands.  
"Thanks!" I said weakly smiling at him. After looking around a bit more I decided I just wanted the interesting painting, I waved by and he gave me a worried look, but I didn't think much of it as I exited. On my way back I saw Genji again who came running up to me to examine the painting.  
"He gave you that...for FREE?" Genji gawked. I nodded wondering why he was so suprised.  
"He was always so expensive!" Genji said. "Most of his artwork selled for over 3,000!"  
I shrugged. "I think its pretty cool."  
"Cool indeed!" He smiled. He said that he would be over later with a fresh batch of cookies... which kind of worried me that he was pushing this friendship on me, but I just ignored it for the time being. I wanted to get home as soon as possible to put my painting up. I was about a block away from my house, trudging through the misty streets when I saw a yellow elephant in a striped sweater heading my way down the street. She carefully studied the painting in my hands.  
"Did you get that from Redds?" She asked me, her eyes blinking furiously which made her abnoxiously large eyelashes stick out.  
"Yeah, why?" I told her, not mentioning the bargain I had gotten on it. She nodded, pursing her lips.  
"Good luck with it." She said starting to walk away. I wondered what she meant.  
"Good Luck for what?" I turned to look at her back as she was walking. She stopped and stood in place. She shook her head vigorously and then turned around to smile at me.  
"I mean looking for a place to put it!" She said after a long pause. Thats not what she meant to say, I was reading her expression carefully.  
"Well I have to get back to my house." She told me. "Oh and by the way, I'm Eloise!"  
"I'm Octivian..?" I introduced, still confused at her sudden change in behaviors.  
"Cool! Octivian!" She said. "I guess Ill see you around then!" I nodded, not sure what to say. She waved at me then turned around to continue walking in the opposite direction. Suprised, I shook it off and just focused on reaching my house. When I got home I tacked the painting on my wall right next to my door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter3: **

I was sitting in my small living room listening to Genji talk on and on about the continuiation of rain a few hours later at night when I heard my cellphone ring from the kitchen, which rescued me. When I looked at the callerID, it said "Unknown Caller" I picked it up and answered cautiously.

"Hello?" There was a pause, no one talked on the other end, but there was this low rustling coming from somewhere on the other end. I furrowed my eyebrow and then slowly hung it back up. When I walked back into the room Genji was looking at me.

"Is somebody else here?" He asked me curiously. I shook my head slowly.

"No...why?" I asked.

"I heard a noise coming from upstairs while you were on the phone." He told me. I froze. The first thing I thought of was an intruder.

"Stay here." I ordered him. I stepped over one of my sidetables to get a box from behind the couch. When I took out my old baseball bat from when I used to play, Genji gasped.

"Dont kill it!" He shreiked, standing up. I gaped at him.

"What if its an intruder?!" I hissed. Genji was silent. I carefully climbed to the top of the stairs, when I reached the door to my bedroom, I put my hand slowly on the door, ready to push it open and use the bat to protect myself from whatever was raiding my bedroom. I pushed open the door and hopped inside. I half expected someone to come out of nowhere and stab me or threaten to, at least. I turned around in a full circle, holding the bat up as protection. No one was there. I let out a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Maybe Genji was hearing things. Then I heard a loud crash that made me jump and I turned around to face the window. I saw lightning strike a tree in the distance and it began to rain again. Thats when I heard my cellphone ring once again. I sped down the stairs, dropping the bat on my bed before I left the room and descended down the stairs. When I looked in the living room Genji was gone. My cellphone was still ringing. I looked at the callerID and it said "Unknown Caller" yet again. My breathing came out irregularly.  
"Was there an intruder?!" Genji came out of the bathroom behind me. Startled, I not only jumped I yelled. Then I turned around to see him looking at me oddly.

"Guess...not." He stared at me. "Well Im gonna go, I'll talk to you soon alright?" I nodded, not being able to speak. He waved and then walked outside the door to leave me here alone in my own house that I was afraid of at the moment. Everything was silent, except for the occasional rumble of thunder and gust of wind, and the sound of my heart pounding so loudly it could probably beat the thunder. I jumped when my cellphone rang for the third time. I looked at the callerID releived to see a name I recognized.

"Hey Cheif." I sighed into the phone. Cheif was my bestfriend from DustinVille. I hurt to leave him behind there, but I knew that we would be able to keep in contact.

"Hey Octy." He said. "Is something up?"

"Not really..." I said looked around my living room. "Just my neighbor was over, and my phone kept ringing, but when I picked up no one was there."

"Oh my.." Cheif said laughing at me. I sighed. Maybe I was just being ridiculous, it would explain why Cheif was laughing.

"Why'd you call?" I asked him, getting off the topic of my stupidity.

"Oh I was wondering if I could come down for the day or something tomorrow." He asked. I hated when he invited himself over, but this time I was actually looking forward to it.

"Sure!" I said invitingly. "What time?"

"Oh I dont know...10am?" He asked.

"Alright. See you then." I said.

"See you!" He replied, then he hung up. I snapped my phone shut and surveyed my surroundings. I shivered. It suddenly got colder in the room. I walked over to the control pad and saw that the heat was on full blast. This was getting too weird. I decided to call it at night, and while walking upstairs I could feel a pair of eyes watching my every move.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter4:**  
The next day I rolled out of bed. After going through the normal morning routine, I decided to head down to Nookingtons to look around before Cheif came over. As I walked inside I felt three pairs of eyes widened at me, Tom Nook and his nephews were grinning at me from ear to ear.  
"Hi!" Nook said. "Welcome to Nookingtons!" I nodded and headed to the top floor. I listened as I heard Timmy and Tommy heading up the stairs behind me. Groaning, I walked down each aisle, looking around. After being lost in thought for about 5 minutes, I decided to buy a blender and make fruit smoothies for when Cheif came over. I went to the register and payed for my blender, Nook grinning abnoxiously happy to be taking my money. I just hope it was worth it. On my way home I stopped by the edge of the forest and picked some fruit off of the trees, I tried to get a variety, but since the NightBridges main fruit was peaches, I could only find so little of everything else besides peaches. When I burst through the door to my house carrying my bags of fruit and my blender, I went to set it up. I put the fruit on the counter and I sat at the table with the blender. I read the instructions, they seemed easy enough, and plugged it into the closest outlet. I took the fruit from the counter and cut it into small pieces and put it into the blender along with the nessescities for fruit smoothies, then I hit the blend button and sat there holding the cover down. After a few minutes, I slowly let the cover go and it stayed down. I then walked to the kitchen to wash my hands. After drying them with a towel, I heard the blender stop suddenly. I threw the towel carelessly onto the counter and walked back to the table. The blender wasnt there. I narrowed my eyes searching the room. Then I heard a splat as I felt the smoothie slime against my back. I threw my hands up to my face and turned around as the blenders mixing cup fell to the ground with a crash. Smoothie mix was splattered all over the floor, and all over me. I checked the time. It was 9:55am. Cheif would be here soon. Taking advantage of the time I had, I ran to the bathroom to wipe myself off. I changed my clothes and then ran into the kitchen to get a sponge to mop up the mess. But when I got back to the table and where the mess was supposed to be... the mixer was back on top of the blender, smoothie inside. The floor was spotless. Confusion took over my body. Had I imagined the whole thing? I sighed in frustration. No, I felt it hit me, I had to change I wasnt wearing this shirt when I was starting to make the smoothie...or was I? Suddenly the doorbell rang, putting my train of thought to a halt.  
"Hello?" I head Cheif call from outside. I shook the incident off as I went to go open the door.

When I opened the door I saw Cheif grinning one of his akward smiles at me.  
"Octy!" He bellowed as he went to begin our secret handshake. Our handshake was unessescarily long, but it didnt matter to us. I smiled, greatful to be in the presence of my bestfriend after what just happened.  
"Come on in!" I gestured to the living room. He bounded inside and jumped onto the couch. He laughed as he was falling.  
"Nice place!" He told me.  
"Thanks I guess." It wasnt that nice to me. I watched him scan the room, his eyes stopped at the door. His face went blank.  
"Whats with the creepy painting?" He asked, turning to me with a concerned look on his face.  
"Oh this traveling salesman Crazy Redd gave it to me for free!" I explained, marveling the piece of art. "Isnt it cool?" It took him a second to reply.  
"Sureeee." He told me, changing the topic. "Why does it smell like fruit in here?" That reminded me.  
"Oh I was making smoothies." I told him. His face brightened.  
"I love smoothies!" He cheered.  
"Ill go get them then!" I walked to the table in the next room and saw the smoothie in the blender still waiting for me. I took out two glasses and poured the fruity mix into them. I brought them back to the living room and gave a glass to Cheif who gulped it down in two sips.  
"Good stuff!" He praised me. I smiled, I had missed him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter5:**

After I had escorted Cheif back to where the next taxi waited for him, the streets were barren. Nobody was there, not even Genji whom I would find gardening in the rain every single day. Nookingtons was closed, the lights were all shut off. It was just me, and Cheif walking down the road. When we got to the TownHall, the taxi wasnt there, so we decided to wait inside until we saw it pull up. TownHall was a bit busy, the mayor was sitting in his usual seat, and Phyllis was running all three counters miraculously at once. There were about 10 or 20 people, compared to over 40 on usual days. We stood near the entrance, looking out the window into the rain that now flooded the grounds of Nightbridge.  
"Hey Octivian.." Cheif didnt look up at me, he was still staring out the window through the rain and at the forest.  
"Mm?" I turned to look at him. He sideways glanced at me.  
"Did you ever think this town was...creepy? Just wondering." I was silent.  
"I guess it did seem...eerie at some points, but its not that bad." I responded. He was glaring at the forest still.  
"Did you ever feel like someones watching you...wherever you go?" He asked me. I was silent again.  
"No." I shook it off. "And plus we're in a semi-crowded room of course people are gonna stare at us." He shook his head vigourously. Little raindrops splattered onto the floor.  
"Woah sorry about that." He told me. I was confused.  
"Whats there to be sorry about?" I asked.  
"Oh to preassure you into answering my questions." He told me as we saw the taxi pull up.  
"Oh no big deal dont worry." I reassured him. It was silent until we heard the taxi beep loudly.  
"The taxis here." He reminded me with a sarcastic smile. I laughed.  
"Bye, Ill talk to you later." I told him as he walked towards the door.  
"Bye Octy!" He waved. I waved back. Then all I saw was Cheif getting in the car and taking off into the distance behind the town gate.

When I walked back home the streets were still, like a painting. No one was there, it was desserted. Confused I just kept walking. Everybody in NightBridge takes rain as second nature, they deal with it most of the time. Rain hasnt stopped anybody yet since Ive been here, I wonder why its stopped them today? Thats when I saw her. Eloise was standing in the middle of the street up ahead wearing a purple rain poncho. She was beatiful, but I wouldnt dare let myself think that about anyone..anymore. Marina had taken her toll on me, and well, I danced solo from here on in. When I reached her she looked worried.  
"Hey Eloise!" I smiled at her.  
"Octivian." She said flatly. "I need to talk to you, youre in grave danger."  
"What?" Confused, I followed her.  
"Do you know Cody? He lives two houses down from me." I shook my head slowly.  
"No...what is this all about?" She ignored my question.  
"Hes a historian, he has lived in this town for over 20 years. He knows whats happened from the time it was founded, to now." She explained.  
"I want him to come and look at your house, because it doesnt look very pleasent. Has anything happened recently that didnt make sense?" I froze in my tracks. She looked at me, eyes narrowing.  
"Octivian you have to tell me what happened, your life depends on it." She explain, her bright purple poncho making her eyes seem bleach blue...just like Marinas- I had to keep my mind sidetracked from that fact though. I explained to her what had happened when Genji was over, and what happened with the smoothie. She shuddered, I dont know if it was because of the rain or the information I had just unleashed to her.  
"Cody definatley has to come to your house. Something bad might happen if this isnt checked out sooner." She put a hand on my shoulder. "Ill be there too. Dont worry, Everythings going to be fine."  
I shuddered, but this time it wasnt because of the rain


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter6:**

The next day I awoke shivering. It was downpouring hard enough outside to shake my house like an earthquake would. I rolled out of bed just like I did everyday and I marched across my room to my dresser. When I opened it I picked up my favorite shirt and put it on. I rushed down the stairs to pick up my cellphone which was now echoing through my house. I answered it cautiously, expecting another call from the mysterious silent person who had been calling me for weeks, then I heard Eloise's serious voice murmur into my ear.  
"Octivian?" She whispered to me. I wondered why she was whispering.  
"mm?" I answered, crunching on a granola bar I had picked up from the counter 2 seconds before I picked up the phone.  
"Its Eloise." She told me, her serious tone fading into a more innocent, fragile voice.  
"I know." I reassured her. It was silent for a moment.  
"Cody and I are coming later tonight." She told me.  
"Ill be here." I replied. I could hear her sigh.  
"Thanks for letting me have Cody expect the house." She told me. Her breathing was irregular, like she was worried.  
"Im worried about your saftey." She finally admitted. This made me blush a bit, and I was glad we were talking over the phone.  
"Thanks for caring." I managed to get out without stuttering, my face still beet red. No. No, I could not-WOULD not fall in love again. Love is stupid anyways...right?  
"The thing is.." She began. "I sorta have a little-" Then the phone went dead, and so did everything else in the house. The lightning outside flickered through the window, giving everything an eerie feeling. I surveyed my surroundings, threatened by the darkness.  
Everything went cold.  
I wrapped my arms around myself as proceeded to my bedroom. I mustve had a sweater up there. I turned to walk up the stairs, when I heard a noise from the kitchen. It was like someone was rummaging through my drawers. I turned to walk towards the kitchen, chill after chill peircing through my skin. Each step I took, each breath that escaped me, was coated in fear. I rounded the corner to the kitchen slowly, wondering what could be there. Maybe it was just the ghost again playing tricks on me as usual. I stepped into the kitchen, and of course, no one was there. I turned in a full circle, looking around cautiously as I did.  
"Whoever you are!" I warned the empty atmosphere. "I dont want you here! GET OUT!" I stomped my foot to show my enthusiasim. Then I proceeded to go back to the stairs. I heard a whirr and then the sound of darts being thrown onto a dart board. My eyes widened as I looked at the wall in front of me. There was a knife, stuck in the wall, that definatley hadnt been there before. I turned around quickly, and I saw another knife being thrown straight at me. I ducked and then ran as fast as I could up the stairs. I entered my room and then slammed the door behind me. I heard a deep chuckle.  
"You think you can mess with me?" An unfamiliar voice called. Then suddenly all of my clothes flew from my dresser and on top of me, making me collapse to the ground. When I was able to escape the pile of clothes, I saw a muted white figure standing before me, he was floating an inch above the ground. I wanted to scream, but I didnt know if I should. My scream wasnt as high pitched, there was no use, no one would hear me anyways. My jaw dropped. It was the penguin from my picture. She was wearing the same outfit, the same emotionless expression and she was staring, at me.  
"You think you have enough power..." -She flung another piece of clothing at my face which I flung away with my hand that had reached out to protect myself- "To defeat me?! THE ALL MIGHTY AROURA?!" She took my dresser and started to lift it up in the air. I knew what was coming, and that I couldnt stop it. I closed my eyes, and awaited my own death. Who knows? Maybe I would get lucky, maybe Id escape with a few damaged limbs. Suddenly, I saw light, and I heard a huge crash. I was too scared to open my eyes, but then again maybe I was already in heaven. I opened one just a sliver. I wasnt dead, and I wasnt even harmed. My dresser lay on its side, the empty hangers spilling out. The power was back on, and I was still laying in my heap of clothes. I couldnt stand upright. I just layed there, and thats when the phone rang.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter7:**

I listened to the message from where I was pierce through the silence in my house. The rain had stopped, but the clouds still remained.  
"Octy, Its Cheif." It began. I sighed in relief. Maybe he would tell me something that would make me forget about the entire thing. I was wrong.  
"Bad things are happening to me man!" He sobbed. "Things I cant explain to the police!" I listened in fear. "And the recent happenings...just check the papers. Please. Im coming down to your place today, I feel much much safer when Im with you...I guess Ill see you." Then he hung up. It didnt take me a second. I flew from the pile of clothes and downstairs. I saw the paper waiting for me on my table. I picked it up and scanned the headline.  
**Murders in Dustinville the work of a serial killer?**  
"The recent deaths in Dustinville were unlike any other, Kiki Meowy was found on her kitchen floor, multiple knives stabbed through her heart. The others Tangy Tang and Cousteau Frenchy French were found the same way. people suggest there is a viscious murderer on the loose, but we have no leads to where the suspect is.  
'There were no fingerprints.' Booker began. 'No hairs, no saliva, no anything! Whoever this guy is he certainly knows what hes doing.'"  
I stopped reading right there. Those innocent people... they got killed, by the nightmare haunting my house. Because Cheif was here, he took a ghost back with him, and now the people I know, the people I love, are dying. One by one. I couldnt let Cheif come back here, for his own saftey, but maybe he had to, in order to keep the ghosts away from my friends. I could explain this to him without sounding crazy...right? The next few hours I heard nothing from my ghost as I cleaned up his destructive mess- or she since her name was Aroura- and I ate breakfast. There was a knock at the door, and it was frantic. I expected Cheif, but it was none other than Genji. He had a look of terror on his face. He embraced me.  
"OHHH OCTIVIAN." He sobbed into my chest. I was worried about why he was showing so much affection towards me, but I let him sob and wipe his snot of me anyways, after all, I guess we were friends.  
"IT WAS HORRIBLE!" He moaned.  
"What was?" I asked him almost silently.  
"THE KNIVES, SOMEONE TRIED TO KILL ME LAST NIGHT, BUT THERE WAS NO BODY THERE..." He let out another sob. Oh for the love of- not him too. I invited him in to stay for a while, he said he didnt want anything from his house. I let him sob and moan and complain as much as he wanted and I just sat there listening. About 2 or 3 hours later, there was another knock at the door. This time it was Cheif.  
"Hi Cheif." I told him, taking his bags and carrying them to the living room. He followed behind me as I sat back down on the couch. He looked from Genji- who was smiling at the newcomer- to me curiously.  
"Genji..." I sighed. "This is my friend Cheif. Cheif, Genji."  
They shook hands. Cheif was still looking at me, his eye brows scrunched up. I gave him the old "Ill tell you later" Look and rolled my eyes.

Cheif took a seat on the chair facing the couch Genji and I were sitting lazily on. It was silent for a moment. I broke the silence by offering to make some sandwhiches and iced tea. Genji nodded, and Cheif grunted a yes. I went into the kitchen and prepared my friends snacks.  
The rest of the afternoon walked by slowly. We had just finished watching about 3 or 4 movies in dead silence when the doorbell rang.  
I had forgotten about that.  
Cheif and Genji looked at me curiously. I shrugged, not out of confusion and then went to the door. When I opened it I saw Eloise smiling from ear to ear, a tint of worry piled upon the fakeness of her attempt to be okay. Behind her was a blue bear, with a plain shirt on and glasses, books in hand. He was smiling too, but this time he wasnt faking it. He seemed to be a happy person, from what I could see. Eloise was staring behind me at my guests who looked akwardly confused.  
"I see you have guests." She said eyeing them. It wasnt a question, it was a statement. I nodded. She turned to Cody.  
"Cody, this is Octivian. Vice versa." She flashed another smile at me.  
"Lets get to work." I led them inside to sit on the couch. Once everyone was settled in, I tried to think of a way to explain all of thise to Cheif and Genji. Does it ever end?


	8. Chapter 8

**chapter8**

Cheif and Genji were both staring at me through the silence. The expressions on their faces bore through my head making a migrane occur. I pressed my fingers against my temples and closed my eyes.  
"Octivian?" Eloise asked. When I opened my eyes shes was looking at me worriedly. "Whats wrong?"  
"Nothing, Nothing.." I reassured her. "Got a little headache thats all."  
I asaw Cody write something down on his clipboard he had taken out of his backpack. I wouldve told him it wasnt the supernatural activity that was causing it, but the two people who were we not even 2 feet away from me.  
"So lets begin," Cody stated, breaking the short silence.Everyones eyes were on me, whether confused or just focused.  
"So give me the gist of it." Cody said. Looking at my from behind is square rimmed glasses. "whats been going on?"  
My eyes circled the room. I looked a Eloise who was staring at me waiting for an answer. Suddenly I felt a chill go down my spine, and then there was something on the wall behind her. I squinted to see it.  
"DONT SPILL THE SECRE-" was all I read before Eloise turned around and it was gone. She looked at me. "Octivian?" I shook my head violently.  
"Oh, sorry." I didnt know what to say. Should I heed the warning on the wall? Should I tell them? It would be for my own saftey...  
"Ive seen some supernatural sightings." I told Cody, I explained further what happened.  
"Ever since I bought that painting, things have been going wrong." I concluded. Eloise let out a sigh.  
"You should get rid of that painting, Octivian." She told me.  
"It wont matter." Cody pointed out. "This house is still going to stay haunted."  
After this Cody pretty much started walking around the house, and he told me he sensed alot of supernatural energies in the house. But I already knew there was something watching us the entire time. When we got back downstairs there was another chill down my spine, and there was something else written on the wall, this time in blood.  
"YOU MUST PAY." The three words stuck in my head. Eloise screamed. She was staring at the message, then everyone else looked. I turned to Cody.  
"There you go." I said.  
Cody walked over to the wall. He examined it. Then he swabbed the blood with a Q-tip and put it in a container. "Ill take this to Booker and Copper, they might be able to identify whos blood it is. Cody nodded, to Eloise, then looked at me.  
"Thanks for letting me into your house to look around." He pointed to the wall.  
"Dont wash that off just yet, its crucial to the investigation." I nodded. In the condition my house was in now, I wouldnt care if it stained my walls. With a wave goodbye Cody was gone, but Eloise remained at the doorstep.  
"Come with me." She asked. I turned back to look at Genji and Cheif who were petrified in their seats, and just turned to follow her.  
When we were at least 6 feet from the house, she stopped to look at me.  
"Octivian..." she looked me in the eyes, it was drizzling, and we both had our hoods on. I looked up to meet her gaze. Another worried expression walked across her face.  
"Im worried about you." she looked down at her shoes. "This is dangerous. You should move into a new house here, I mean, I dont want you getting hurt!" She looked up at me again. "I mean... what happened with the knife and all, and the dresser..."  
"Calm down." I told her. She kept going.  
"and I just, the blood on the wall-" she was crying now, but it didnt look like it in the now sudden downpour that was around us. I put my hand over her mouth to stop her.  
"Calm down." I repeated. She looked at me then threw her arms around me and sobbed. I didnt know what else to do, but hug her back in the pouring rain.


	9. Chapter 9

**chapter9:**  
I walked home in the down pour after that. I offered to walk Eloise home, but shesaid she had alot to think about, so she'd see me tomorrow. I had alot to think about too. What was I coming home to? Did he do something to Cheif and Genji? Had I put us all in mortal danger? I reached the door to my house, and I turned the doorknob. It was locked. Confused, I looked for the key under the door mat. It wasnt there. I looked through the window, wiping away the spots where my breath had made the view foggy. It was empty, and all the lights where off. I panicked. I tried turning the knob again, but I knew it was still locked. My pulse quickened and I looked for my axe. Luckily, it was still in the tree stump where Id left it when I first moved in. I picked it up and bashed it into the door. The wood splintered in two and the door fell to pieces. I stumbled inside.  
"CHEIF?!" I yelled, almost out of breath. "GENJI?!" there was no answer. I ran up the stairs and opened my bedroom door. They werent there. I screamed. Then checked every room in the house. It was empty, except for my lone presence. There was no chill, no 'being watched' feeling. The ghost was on holiday, he had my friends, and Im stuck here. I leaned against the wall for support. Suddenly the phone was ringing. I read the called ID "Stiles, Marina" Why was she calling me now? I thought to myself. I picked up, trying not to burst into a perpetual sob.  
"Hello?" No response.  
"Hello?" I repeated. This time there was breathing. Then a few screams, which varied in pitches, and then all there was was the dead beep of the phone. I was alone, the ghost was in Dustinville. With my friends, with Marina. I got up, and ran as fast as I could to Eloise's.

"WHAT?!" She gasped when I told her. I nodded, suddenly bursting out into tears.  
"Octivian." She walked past me. "We have to go to Dustinville. Ill call Cody." She flipped out her cellphone and dialed a number. While she was talking, I just rolled down the wall and sat on the ground, trying to catch my breath. Suddenly, she picked me up.  
"Codys gonna meet us at the train station." She told me. "Lets go."  
I couldnt object, she was dragging me. Before I knew it I was on a train sitting next to Cody and Eloise.


	10. Chapter 10

**chapter10**

When the train stopped, no one said a word. I dont know if it was the confusion, or the shock that caught on first. Dustinville was a barren waste land. Miniature sand storms gusted through the streets and nobody was outside. I, along with Eloise and Cody put up the hood to my ecko sweatshirt when we got outside. The dense fog near the ground of the place was freezing, my legs wouldnt stop shaking. The very few passengers that were with us on the train were already gone, and we were all alone.  
"Octivian." Eloises voice piped up over the loud gusts of wind. It startled me, and I jumped back a little.  
"Wheres Marina house?" She asked me. She was holding her hood on her head so it didnt fall off. I motioned my hand to her and Cody who followed me down the street. No one was in the stores. They all had their closed signs up and it was pitch black inside. I never thought Id ever see Dustinville like this. The sun was always here, everyday. Now it was just as dark as Nightbridge. When we got to Marinas house it had started down pouring, mixing with the sandstorms creating a mud mixture that had slapped me in the face a few times. When we reached the door all three of us were coated in mud. I looked inside the windows. It was just as dark as it was outside in the house. When Cody went for the door it wasnt open. I pushed him aside and shook on the door knob.  
"COME ON!" I shouted in panic now. Eloise put her hand on my shoulder.  
"Chill Octivian." She told me calmly. I fell back, fighting not to take my anger out on her. Instead I looked up at the door and charged it. It fell to the ground with a slam. I was so lucky that I was strong enough to do that. Eloise and Cody stared at me, then shrugged and followed me inside. All the lights were off. We had completley searched the whole first floor of Marinas house when we heard the screams from the basement. It sounded like Marina herself. The wind was pouding so hard against the stone walls of the house, almost everyone was afraid that the walls were going to cave and the house would collapse. I ran to the door of the basement, and knocked that one down too. Thats when I froze, and I saw her. The penguin. Lady Auroura. She bellowing some kind of chant in the direction of the back right corner of the room. In that corner, was Marina, Cheif and Genji. They looked disgusting, like they had been rolling around outside. Marina was screaming in pain. Cheif and Genji were gaping at her.  
"STOP!!" Cheif was screaming. "DONT HURT HER!!"  
Marina was cringing in pain. I could see it in her eyes. When she saw me I saw her confusion even in the grimace she had on her face. I saw Cody walk past me towards Auroura.  
"STOP!" He told her. Auroura turned towards him.  
"Oh look!" She looked past him... at me.  
"You made it! Now you can join your friends in their last hour!" She cackled. She was taking up the most space in the room, levitating a few inches above the ground. I looked back at Marina who was sobbing in the corner. Cheif was holding her, asking if she was alright.  
"This little squid here.." Auroura began. "Was about to have her insides explode from her body!" She laughed again, the shrillness stung my ears and I covered them in the pain.  
"But now since you guys are here- well," Suddenly we were off the ground. All three of us. I struggled to get my feet back to the earth again, but it was no use. We were thrown into the corner on top of Cheif who yelled in agony as we toppled over him. Genji was suddenly knocked unconcious.  
"Ladys First!" Aurouras witch like laugh continued to bellow through the house as Both the screaming Eloise and the weak Marina were lifted and thrown against the opposing wall. They both fell in a heap on the ground. Eloise struggling to find her balance to sit upright against the wall. On her face was pure terror.  
"Well, how would you like to go about this girls?" She floated closer to them, scanning their faces. Marina, I could see could barley keep her eyes open, since the blood from the gash on her forehead was coating the entire right side of her face.  
"Slow and painful? Or fast and over with?" She laughed again viciously.  
I was horrified and I didnt know what to do. Thats when I saw Cody reaching for his book that he had dropped when we were thrown with Cheif and Genji. I pushed him forward to help. Auroura was still cackling and laughing at Eloise and Marinas pain, when he finally grabbed the book. He flipped through the pages shakily, and pointed out a piece of writing.  
"You have to read this..." he told me, his voice stuttering.  
"Only y-you c-can defeat h-her" He gave me a warm smile, that didnt seem to fit the moment. I closed my eyes and thought.  
I heard a zap, then both Marina and Eloise screamed.  
"Go!" Cody hissed. "b-before they d-die!"  
I arose fast, the book in my hands. Auroura was too preoccupied to turn around. Then I started chanting.


End file.
